Key To My Heart
by pandorabox82
Summary: Bernie has a special Valentine's Day planned for Serena, after the year they've been through together. Will things turn out like she planned?


"Did you get everything I asked for?"

Bernie looked anxiously at Hanssen, trying to read the inscrutable expression on his face. Finally, his head tilted to the left as he dipped his chin ever so slightly, and she grinned. "I understand how important this is to you, Ms Wolfe. And I would never let Ms Campbell down."

"I know, it's just…it's been a year, and we're in a stronger place than we were then, so I want this to be complete perfection. Even if we are both working today."

He nodded once more before handing over a key. "I will expect this back at the end of your assignation. And if a trauma that is too great for us to deal with arises, one or both of you will be bleeped."

"As is to be expected." Her smile never wavered as she stepped into his personal space and gave him a quick hug. He really had been such a rock for Serena, and herself, in the last year, and his friendship had proven invaluable. "Now, if you'd give me a ten minute head start, I want to get changed into something other than scrubs. I'll text you when I've reached your office, and then you can send Serena my way."

Again, he dipped his chin, and Bernie nodded in return before leaving the break room and heading towards the locker room. Thankfully, no one was there, and she was able to change in peace, making certain that everything looked perfect before arranging her hair into the tousled look that Serena preferred. Then she applied a fresh layer of lipstick before taking one last look in the mirror.

Satisfied with what she saw, Bernie made her way out to the lift, making certain to keep an eye out for Serena, as she did not want to be seen. From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed Jasmine and Morven talking to her partner, and she sighed in relief as she slipped into the elevator car and pressed the up button.

It didn't take long to get up to the right floor, and then she went down the hall to Hanssen's office. A part of her wanted to run there, to make certain that he had set everything up to her instructions, but she also knew that she didn't want to make herself short of breath. Instead, she forced herself to take large, measured, steps, mulling over everything that she wanted to say in her mind.

The door opened with the key provided, and she gasped when she looked inside. The man had gone above and beyond what she had asked for, including strand upon strand of white fairy lights string around the room, a candelabra with red candles waiting to be lit, and a large bouquet of red and white roses. Slipping over to the table, she looked at the bouquet, only to see a note with her name on it.

 _Bernie, Henrik and I decided that you needed something a little more romantic than a single red rose for your partner, but it was tough to get this many roses on the actual day! Next time, let us know when you want to skimp out so that we can plan ahead. Oh, and I picked up a box of Serena's favourite chocolates to go with the Shiraz you asked for. I expect to get all the workplace appropriate details on the roof in a few days. Oh, and Essie and Sacha cooked the meal, so it is certain to be delicious. I was told to deliver it at 4:30, so I hope that works for you! Dom xx_

She chuckled lightly as she ran her fingers over the petals of the roses. Dom really was a romantic at heart, so it still surprised her that he and Hanssen had ended up together. Still, there was someone for everyone out there, she supposed. Humming under her breath, she glanced over at the open bottle of wine, her eyes widening at the truly humongous hamper of chocolates from the local baker they frequented, and she wondered how much had been added to her account there.

Pulling out her phone, she saw that it was quarter after four, which meant that she had to get Serena here before the food arrived. _All right, send Serena to me,_ she texted Hanssen, receiving a thumbs up emoji in response. And then, there was nothing to do but wait.

And wait she did, feeling anxiety laden butterflies start to scramble around in her stomach as she watched the door for her beloved. "I have those figures on my laptop, so if you'll just head inside, Serena."

Bernie stiffened at the sound of Hanssen just outside the door, and smoothed her shirt over her torso as she painted a sultry smile on her lips. The door opened, and she listened to Serena gasp with surprise as she stepped inside. "Henrik..?" she started to ask as the door closed, and then she whirled around to see Bernie seated at the table. "Bernie?"

"Happy Valentine's Day, darling." Getting up, she made her way over to Serena's side and kissed her softly before leading her to her chair and then lighting the candles with the lighter someone had left there. "We're going to gain a few pounds, since someone went a bit overboard on the chocolate acquisition…"

Serena giggled as she shrugged, looking toward the hamper. "Well, someone knew to go to my favourite place! I cannot wait to dig into the treats there."

Bernie nodded sheepishly as she leaned down and kissed Serena's cheek. "Dom actually bought them, I didn't have time to run out today and do so, and with us working a double, well…"

"You were the one who came up with the idea, that's all that matters. Though this is a bit overkill on the flowers, Bernie. You did purchase me four new rosebushes for the garden at home, after all!"

She blushed a little as she poured out a glass of wine for each of them. "Well, about that. Dom didn't think it was romantic enough to give you a single red rose, so he went with that bouquet. I, I forgot to tell him about the bushes."

Serena sighed with pleasure as she shook her head. "Why does that not surprise me? You two are peas in a pod, I swear! I mean, you were the one who encouraged him to take Henrik to Paris for a week, when his research presentation fell through."

"Hey, they both needed to let off some steam, and you can't argue with the results!" She tipped her glass to Serena, and they shared a look before taking drinks. A soft knocking on the door caught Serena's attention first, and she furrowed her brow together. "That's probably dinner. I had thought that Dom would follow my directions and get catering from our Italian place."

"He didn't?"

"No," Bernie replied as she got up and opened the office door, revealing Essie and Sacha. "Dom did not tell me to expect you two! What happened to him?"

"I decided to come cover the rest of his shift so that he and Hanssen could have a nice meal together. This was really just killing two birds with one stone, especially since Essie had to work anyway. We get to spend more time together now."

"And that is saccharinely sweet," Serena murmured as Bernie led them over to the table. Essie nodded as she set a covered plate down in front of the woman, and Bernie took the seat next to her lover as Sacha set her plate down. "Thank you for this, though. It does mean a lot."

"Well, after the year we all had, I figured that we could all do with a little more kindness. Mister Hanssen said that he would take care of the plates when you're finished, so there's no need to worry about that. Have a lovely dinner, ladies." Essie leaned down and kissed the top of Serena's head before coming back over to Sacha's side, winding her arm around his waist. "Now, let's leave them to it. They deserve some romance tonight!"

She patted Sacha's stomach as she turned him, heading over to the door. As Sacha closed it, he winked at them, and Bernie blushed a little deeper, turning her focus back on the food. As she lifted the lid, the delicious scent of their favourite Italian meal wafted up to her nose, and she sighed with pleasure as they both dug into the food.

"So, how much time do we have?" Serena asked as she brought her fork to her lips, raising one eyebrow as she sensuously ate the morsel there. Bernie swallowed thickly before reaching for her wine and taking a small sip. "Bernie?"

"Not enough time for that, and I rather think that Henrik would not appreciate if we used his office in such a manner."

"Oh, but it used to be my office as well. And I never was able to get up to anything naughty in here. Really, Berenice, couldn't we have one, tiny, little, snog?"

"Where?" she asked, knowing that it was a gamble to give her lover even one inch.

"Why, at the desk, of course! I mean, haven't you always wanted to be behind a large, imposing, desk, feeling the power imbued in it coursing through your veins as you kiss the woman you love senseless, cupping one breast almost roughly as you…"

Bernie cut off Serena's words by abruptly getting to her feet and stalking over to her, claiming her lips in a brusque kiss. "There, there's your kiss in the office."

Serena giggled a little as she continued to eat. Bernie shook her head a little as she sat once more, trying to keep her focus on her meal and not on the fact that her very frisky partner was eating as sensuously as possible. This was not the way she had pictured this going, not at all. She had wanted it to be light and frothy as she built up to asking Serena a very important question. "Earth to Bernie!"

She popped her head up to see that Serena was giving her a shy smile, her hand outstretched toward her. On the palm was a small golden ring, and she cocked her head to one side as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a similar object. "No, darling, I'm supposed to ask you."

"Oh, quit playing the big macho army medic, would you? I was planning on doing this tonight, when we arrived home from our shifts. And yes, this is romantic and all, but…all I'll ever need is you, in my life, by my side. Guiding me home. Loving me. I don't want to get married again, not unless it is absolutely necessary from a legal standpoint, but I want you in my life forever. This band is just a physical reminder of the promise that we're making to each other. Please, be with me forever."

Bernie blinked back tears as she nodded a little. "All my pretty words have suddenly left my mind, Serena. Be mine?"

It was Serena's turn to nod, and then they took hold of their respective rings, sliding them into place. It was only when Bernie noticed Serena looking at her expectantly that she slid the ring off her finger and really looked at the band. There, etched on the inside, were their initials, the date, and a tiny heart. "This way, I'm always close at hand."

"That you are, darling." She put the ring back on before standing up. Serena followed suit, drifting into her space, and then their arms were wrapping around their waists, holding each other close as their heads slowly came together, lips meeting in a tender, luscious, kiss. Bernie could feel Serena guiding her somewhere in the room, but it wasn't until she was sitting heavily in the comfortable chair behind Hanssen's desk that she knew she had been led down the primrose path to seduction. "Serena…"

"What, darling? We're just kissing," she murmured in reply as she straddled Bernie's waist and claimed her lips once more. Bernie sighed into the kiss, letting her hands roam up and down her partner's back as the kiss intensified. In the haze of their desire, she felt the cool touch of Serena's hand against the bare flesh of her chest, and she chuckled a little as she gently dislodged said hand from her breast. "Bernie!"

The whine in Serena's voice told her just how keyed up she was, but she was adamant about not going any farther at the moment. "We can do this tonight, when we're home. We can split the rest of the bottle, and I can paint your nipples red with wine, and enjoy my dessert at my leisure." Another whine slipped from Serena's lips, and Bernie smiled a little before leaning in and kissing her softly. "And you can think about that while we finish the rest of our shift. Grab your chocolates, Fraulein, I'll get the flowers."

"No."

She fixed her gaze on Serena, arching an eyebrow at the pout on her partner's lips. "Serena Wendy Campbell, we are not having sex in this office."

"It wouldn't be sex, darling. It would be making love."

"And now you're just splitting semantic hairs!"

Serena's pout turned into a smirk as she gently pushed Bernie back against the chair. "Oh, I can think of something else that I'd like to split, darling," she purred as she slid her hands down Bernie's torso and finished unbuttoning her blouse before sliding it off her shoulders. "But if you really want to delay my pleasure, I suppose that we can live with that. Can't we?" she asked huskily as she slipped off Bernie's lap and made for the table, picking up her box of chocolates and sashaying over towards the door, making certain to let her hips sway in the way that always distracted Bernie. And she knew that Serena knew exactly where her gaze was, too, which only frustrated her more.

"Get back here," she bit out, crooking her finger at Serena. The triumphant grin on her lover's face as she flipped the lock on the door and then stalked back to her side told Bernie all she needed to know, and she sent up a quick prayer to whichever god was listening that at least this time, they could be quiet. Serena set the chocolates on the desk as she straddled her once more, tugging off her own blouse as she claimed Bernie's lips in a tender kiss. "Hanssen is going to know what we've been up to," she groaned as she cupped Serena's breasts.

"I think he knew what was going to happen when he and Dom strung up the fairy lights. Face it, Berenice, they have our number."

Another groan tumbled from her lips as Serena sucked at the pulse point on her neck. "This might be true, but at least, could we please use the couch? I don't think my back could handle the chair."

"Yes, darling." Serena kissed Bernie once more before helping her to her feet, letting their blouses fall to floor as she led her over to the couch. The last coherent thought that Bernie had before losing herself in her partner's kisses was that she could only hope that she could look Hanssen in the face after this. And then, all she could focus on was the warmth of Serena's lips against her skin as wave after wave of pleasure swept over her heart.


End file.
